Officer shoots, kills robbery suspect

Updated 6:07 am, Monday, April 21, 2014

SAN ANTONIO — A San Antonio police officer shot and killed an armed-robbery suspect Sunday night after the two fought hand-to-hand on the Northwest Side.

The suspect, an unidentified man in his 30s, was killed in the middle of Culebra Road just inside Loop 410.

The officer, who also has not been identified, has been with the Police Department for about 2 1/2 years, Chief William McManus said at the scene. He has been placed on administrative duty, per department policy.

Police think the suspect committed a theft and an armed robbery Sunday about noon. Around 8 p.m., he robbed a Fairfield Motor Inn. Detectives obtained a description of the car, a brown sedan, and the suspect was spotted soon after on Culebra. Police pursued him until he turned south onto the northbound access lanes of Loop 410.

While on Loop 410's northbound access lanes, the suspect crashed his car into two or three cars head on, police said. He got out and fled on foot on Culebra, where he tried to carjack a woman.

The officer caught up to him, and the two started fighting. After a struggle, McManus said, the officer fired at least two rounds, killing the suspect.

The officer was somehow hit by the car the suspect was trying to steal and had minor injuries. No other injuries were reported.

Police found a weapon in the suspect's car, and it was not immediately clear if he had a weapon on him when he was shot and killed. McManus said the suspect used a type of assault weapon during at least one of the robberies.